Accused meth dealers have trial dates set

MASON CITY – A Mason City man arrested after his associate was caught fleeing police during a drug investigation has had his meth trial date postponed.

Anthony James Bartusek, age 28, was arrested at his home at 1540 South Coolidge Avenue on September 25. Bartusek was charged with felony B possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver, felony D failure to affix a drug tax stamp and simple misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. He pled not guilty and was set for a November 4 trial as he was held on $100,000 cash-only bond.

However, judge Rustin Davenport set a new jury trial date of December 2.

The man who fled police that led to the arrest of Bartusek, 28-year-old Jeremiah Robert Van Den Hemel of Wanamingo, Minnesota, is also still be ing held in the Cerro Gordo County Jail on $100,000 cash-only bond.

Cerro Gordo deputies attempted to stop a 2006 Lincoln Navigator near the 193 mile marker on Interstate 35 on the evening of September 25, but the driver of the vehicle – Van Den Hemel – attempted to flee. The attempted stop was part of an on-going drug investigation. Deputies pursued and then disabled the vehicle at 170th Street and Thrush Avenue using a tire deflation device. Van Den Hemel was arrested and charged with felony D eluding, felony B possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver and felony D failure to affix a drug tax stamp. He awaits a November 18 jury trial after a not guilty plea.  He also faces extradition to Minnesota on parole violations.

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